Runoff today do decide four Crittenden County races

Polls will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. in last vote of ‘22

By Ralph Hardin

ralphhardin@gmail.com

One more time…

As in other places around the state and nation, many Crittenden County residents will be heading back to the polls again today to vote in one of four runoff races still undecided after the Nov. 8 elections.

Two mayoral races and two city council seats are yet to be decided after no candidate received a majority of votes in their multi-candidate races.

West Memphis City Council Ward 5, Position 1

One of the runoffs will be between Helen Harris who received 215 votes in the initial election and Joyce Gray who received 177 votes, both running for West Memphis City Council Position 5-1, with Harris hoping to be reelected. Angela Eason the third-place candidate (86 votes) on the ballot will not appear in the runoff race.

Mayor of Edmondson

The second runoff will be for Mayor of Edmondson, contested between Sidney Prackett and Colt Boyd who received 55 and 39 votes respectively. Prackett fell just two votes shy of winning the election outright. Third candidate Art Gillard’s 18 votes pulled enough ballots away from the two leading candidates on Election Night to necessitate the runoff. Gillard will not be on the ballot.

Mayor of Earle

Earle will be getting a new mayor in 2023. Who that will be was not clear following the General Election. The third runoff will be for that seat, with the race now between Jaylen Smith, who netted 205 votes on Election Night, and Nemi Matthews Sr., whose 168 votes put him in second place and secured the remaining spot in the runoff. Also-rans Donald Stone, Barbara Adkins and Ramonda Henderson were eliminated from contention on Election Night.

Marion City Council, Position 3-2

In a tightly contested race on Election Night, retired educator Dr. Ray Nassar outpolled incumbent Sherry Holliman in the Marion City Council Position 3-2 race, with Nassar’s 1,209 votes to Holliman’s 1,059, necessitating a runoff next Tuesday that will exclude third-place finisher Leandra Schwartz (978 votes).

Due to the limited scope of the runoffs, only select polling sites will be open for today’s runoff.

The Crittenden County Election Commission will be conducting polling at the following locations:

• Roberta Jackson Neighborhood Center 1300 East Polk, West Memphis

• LR Jackson Girls Club 405 South 25th Street, West Memphis

• Edmondson City Hall 61 Waterford St

• St. Luke Church in Earle 520 Arkansas St

• Marion Church of God 1747 US Hwy 64

• Tabernacle of God 1714 US Hwy 77

• Marion Arena 1 Patriot Drive Polls will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. The Crittenden County Election Commission will count the votes at the Eugene Woods Civic Center in West Memphis following the closing of the polls.

HARRIS

EASON